In this issue we have

special birthday wishes

for three Elders in our

community.

Happy birthday to Alma

Bates-Hannah, who will

be celebrating her 71st

birthday on the 12th of

April.

Michael Bates turned 56

on the 13th of March.

Rex James Johnson

celebrated his birthday on

Congratulations!

Inside

this

issue:

Winner of Adult

Art Competition

1

Birthday wishes 1

Broken Hill

Independent

Living Skills

Program

2

Community

Safety Research

Project

2

New Staff at

Maari Ma

3

First Playgroup

for 2014

3

Healthy Weight

Week

4

After school

cooking group

4

Closing the Gap 5

Preventing and

managing

chronic disease

6

Birthday wishes

Maari Ma Primary Health

Community Newsletter

M a r c h 2 0 1 4 I s s u e N i n e

Maari Ma

Primary Health

Care Service

“Improving

Aboriginal health and

closing the gap”

Broken Hill, NSW

the 3rd of March.

Congratulations Alma,

Michael and Rex, and

best wishes from

everyone at Maari Ma!

Michael Bates

Rex James Johnson Alma Bates-Hannah

Congratulations to Clinton Kemp for winning the Adult Art Competition where

the prize was an iPad mini. Clinton provided us with a meaningful piece of

artwork that will feature in our pamphlets. Clinton’s artwork “Keeping our mob

informed” represents the services that Maari Ma offers to local and surrounding

communities. Maari Ma is the centrepiece. The yellow outer rings represent the

services offered and the white outer rings represent the communities benefiting

from these services. The animals represent different native animals found among

local communities.

Left: Clinton Kemp receiving

his prize from Health

Information Officer, Jessica

Ierace

Right: Clinton’s artwork,

“Keeping our mob informed”

P a g e 2

Community Safety Research Project

Broken Hill Independent Living Skills

Program

Want to learn more life skills?

Then come along to the ILS program. Each week will focus on different subjects such as health and nutrition, financial literacy, tenancy rights and obligations.

Each week will also consist of a cooking session.

WHERE: Mission Australia 125 Chloride Street Broken Hill

TIME: 1pm-3pm

DATE: Thursday 3rd of April. The program will run for six weeks every Thursday.

LUNCH SUPPLIED AND TRANSPORT AVALIABLE

For more information please call Youth Connections or Reconnect on 08 8087 6838 or call into the Mission Australia Office, 125 Chloride Street Broken Hill.

M a a r i M a P r i m a r y H e a l t h C o m m u n i t y N e w s l e tt e r

What’s on?

Healthy Start Playgroup

10:30 am-1:00 pm

Fridays at the TAFE

playhouse in Argent St

(Not on during the school

holidays)

After school cooking

group

3:15 pm-4:30 pm

Wednesdays at the Child

& Family Building at

Maari Ma Health

Cooking group for

Parents

10:30 am-12:30pm

Thursdays (before

Playgroup) at the Child &

Family Building at Maari

Ma Health

Close the Gap Day

10:00 am-2:00pm

Thursday 20th March in

the Town Square in

Argent St

The Community Safety Research Project welcomed a couple of familiar faces last

month. Tarissa Staker previously our Regional Office Administration Assistant joined

the team as a Project Officer, as well as former Cultural Voucher, Claudett Dixon

who has taken on the role of Aboriginal Family Health Worker with the Community

Safety Research Project.

We congratulate them on their new roles within Maari Ma and no doubt you will see

them out in the community.

Tarissa Staker Claudett Dixon

P a g e 3 I s s u e N i n e

New Staff at Maari Ma

Maari Ma would like to

welcome our new staff

members: Paige Thompson,

Penelope Billings, Leesa

Albert and Jarred Menz.

Paige started with us in

February as our new GP

registrar and will be with us

until the end of this year.

Penelope joined the Primary

Health Care Service this month

as our new Dental Assistant.

She will be working closely

with Abi to deliver dental care

to children and teenagers.

Leesa Albert joined Maari Ma

this month as the Child &

Family Health Nurse.

Jarred joined us in February

and is the Indigenous Male

Project Officer within the

Community Safety Research

Project. He will be conducting

Surveys for the Adult Study as

well as the Children Studies.

Jarred will also be facilitating

the Healing Program, which

has been developed through

the Qualitative (yarning

stories) phase of the Project.

Paige Thompson Jarred Menz

First Playgroup for 2014 a Success

Maari Ma’s first playgroup was held on Friday, February the 14th and there was quite a large turn out, with 21

children and 19 adults attending.

Narelle Semmens, our Early Years Project Leader, said it was great to see so many faces so early in the year.

Our Dietician, Elisa Rossimel, prepares the ‘to go pack’ which the children receive at the end of the day. The packs

contain fruit, cheese, water and a key ingredient that has been used in the cooking session that week.

A cooking group for parents who would like to be part of Playgroup is held every Thursday in the Child & Family

Building at Maari Ma from 10.30am to 12.30pm. The food cooked during this session is taken to Playgroup on the

Friday and shared with the other families.

Teesha, Preston & Shanique King at Playgroup Jakiah King at Playgroup which

incorporates play based experiences

which highlight reading, talking and

writing.

M a a r i M a P r i m a r y H e a l t h C o m m u n i t y N e w s l e tt e r

P a g e 4

Healthy Weight Week

Maari Ma Health celebrated Healthy Weight week in February. Healthy Morning Teas were held in Broken Hill,

Menindee and Wilcannia. Staff and community members were encouraged to participate by bringing in a healthy

snack to share with colleagues and the community.

After School Cooking Group

After school cooking groups are held every

Wednesday during school term from 3.15pm to

4.30pm. Kids are invited to the Child & Family

Building to cook with Shannon Oates.

The kids have been learning basic cooking skills, and

appropriate hygiene and behavior for the kitchen.

A variety of healthy snacks were brought in

by people such as protein pancakes, dip

and veggies, homemade guacamole,

homemade banana ice cream, trays of

fresh fruit, vegetables with hummus and

tzatziki dip, muesli bar slices, and

wholemeal toast with peanut butter and

banana.

There was also a healthy food quiz in the

waiting room of the Primary Health Care

Service. Congratulations to Hannah

Bennett on winning the quiz.

Wilcannia’s Healthy Morning Tea

The kids now have their own red Maari Ma aprons which they are showing off in

these photos. On this particular day the kids made a trio of dips which included a

salsa dip, avocado dip and a French onion dip. They took their creations home

along with some cut up celery and carrot.

I s s u e N i n e P a g e 5

Closing the Gap

hospital. If you haven't got

transport to get there you can use

a free taxi service provided by

Medicare Local called Fare Assist.

Fare Assist operates from 6 pm to

8 am on weekdays, after midday

on Saturdays, and all day Sundays

and public holidays.

To access the service call Yellow

Taxis (131 008) or Independent

Taxis (8087 7744), and make sure

you tell the operator you want to

use the Fare Assist service

(otherwise you could be charged

a fee). When you are ready to

come home you will need to ask

the hospital staff to ring the taxi

company and book your return

trip.

Please note this service is not for

life threatening situations, if you

think it is an emergency then call

the ambulance (000) straight

away.

If you are sick or injured and need to

see a doctor when the health service

is closed you should try to get to the

Thursday the 20th of March is National Close the Gap Day. Maari Ma Health along with other organisations will be

in the Town Square on the day from 10am until 2pm promoting health and conducting various activities.

We will have a healthy BBQ and free give-aways and show bags. Maari Ma will also be providing health checks for

smokers and other health checks such as blood glucose levels and blood pressure. We also have free dental

resources to give out.

This day is about raising awareness of the gap between Aboriginal health and the health of other Australians.

Currently, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people die 10 to 17 years younger than other Australians.

We encourage you to come and join us in the Town Square in Argent St for this important event.

Preventing and managing chronic disease

Maari Ma Primary Health Care Service

“Improving Aboriginal health and closing the gap”

428 Argent Street

Broken Hill NSW 2880

Phone: 08 8082 9777

Fax: 08 8082 9778

Web: www.maarima.com.au

About MMPHCS

Maari Ma Primary Health Care Service aims to provide culturally

appropriate health services to Aboriginal people living in Broken Hill and

surrounding communities.

We are governed by an all Aboriginal Board of Directors, who are deeply

committed to providing an holistic approach to Aboriginal health that

includes physical, emotional, spiritual, cultural and environmental

dimensions.

Our health workers, doctors and nurses are committed to providing you

with the highest quality care. If you ever feel that this has not been

achieved, please contact the manager, Justin Files, on 08 8082 9777 to

discuss the matter.

Occasional services

- Heart specialist

- Kidney specialist

- Diabetes specialist

- Child health specialist

- Eye specialist

- Alcohol specialist

- Smoking specialist

- Podiatry

- Optometrist

Regular services

- Doctors

- Nurses

- Health workers

- Child health nurses

- Midwives

- Dietician

- Primary mental health workers

- Alcohol and other drug staff

- Psychologist

- Kids dentist

- Adult dentist

- Women’s health

- Pharmacist

Service manager—

MMPHCS:

Justin Files

Manager—Community

Engagement:

Kaylene Kemp